Pitching onto a yeast cake after dry hopping...

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Anthony_Lopez

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Right now, I need to get a few more 6+ gallon fermenters, so we have been dry hopping in our primary. Any possible issues pitching onto a yeast cake that has had 2-3 oz of dry hopping in the fermenter?
 
Would the hops still be in the carboy or were they in a hopbag and you removed them? The only reason I ask is because I have heard that they will start to give off a grassy flavor if you dry hop for too long. I think everyone's experience may be a little different and I know you are fermenting and not intending to dry hop at this point. The people that report the grassy flavor had been dry hopping for a month or a little longer. I am guessing that your fermentation will take much less than that. Give it a shot and let us know how it turns out.
 
My understanding is that whenever you repitch a beer w/ a lot of hops-- it will have 2 effects on the following batch:

1) Hurts the yeast health because the resins of the Hop Oils coat the yeast cell walls and create a liquid transfer problem for the membranes. Considering liquid transfer through the membrane is the way yeasts conduct just about every significant act on our beer, it can be a significant threat.

2) Imparts hop characters (usually bad) on the following beer-- I'd definitely wash that yeast before repitching. Throwing it right on top will not turn out well.
 
I'd do a yeast wash before hand...I've done a quick and dirty yeast washing on pitching day, in the carboy, myself with no problems....to save time if you don't want to boil and cool a gallon or so of water, run out and get some distilled..

Pour a half gallon or so in, then swirl it around and let it settle. for about a half hour. Carefully pour off the top layer. Do it again with the other half gallon....

What's left will be some nicely washed yeast....obviously the best way would be to use a gallon glass jar like in the yeast washing sticky....Pouring the 1/2 gallon into the carboy, swirling that and pouring everything in the gallon jar (or a sanitized bucket too I guess) Letting that settle, removing the op layer and rinsing again, then returning that back to your fermenter....
 
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